Netherlands — As one of the premier right-based and development institutions that prioritize education, the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) has granted one of its dedicated staff, Mr. Sam K. Kollie, Jr. an opportunity to pursue an Advanced Certificate in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation at the University of Twente in the Netherlands.

The organization’s Program IT/GIS Assistant is one of the recipients of the Joke Waller-Hunter initiative 2021 grant. The Joke Waller-Hunter (JWH) Initiative creates opportunities for young people in the environmental sector in developing countries to unfold their full potential. 

This is by giving small grants to individuals to expand their knowledge, experience, and training, the initiative aims to strengthen environmental Civil Society Organizations’ capacity and efficiency.

Every year, they support around 15-18 young and promising individuals nominated by their organizations in their personal development, meaning courses, training, or other activities to improve their skills, knowledge, or networks. 

The grant from JWH along with additional support from SDI is being used to take a short course in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, and pave the way for a full master.

Speaking on the opportunity, Mr. Sam K. Kollie, Jr said “I am grateful to all the hard-working staff and the management team of SDI for this unique opportunity afforded me to build my capacity as a young professional that will enable me to be ready and prepared for challenges now and the ones ahead of me as potential future leaders with an ambition of making a positive impact to society in whatever ways I can. Unfortunately, we live in a third World country with so many challenges. But that is where we are, and I always have thoughts that it’s my responsibility to make it [Liberia] and the society at large at least one step better than I met it. Luckily for me, since I graduated from high school about six years ago and started working at SDI as an intern right after completing my first semester in college, they continue to provide me with the opportunities, guidance, and space to achieve that dream.   It has been a great journey with the help of Jehovah and the unconditional support from all my colleagues at SDI. I am grateful.”

There are many uses for GIS in various scientific and societal domains. Common application areas are urban planning, public administration, defense, public health management, environmental monitoring, utilities, telecommunications, transportation, hazard analysis, cartography, and the management of agriculture, forests, and water resources. 

In the past few decades, GIS has become a major area of research and an important global business. Today, GIS is becoming increasingly everywhere with smartphones and associated location-based services. Additionally, governments are increasingly making their data, spatial and otherwise, open for individuals and companies to use. 

For these reasons and more, GIS is an active and rapidly expanding field, which generates considerable public and private interest (and job opportunities). GIS is quickly becoming one of the most tools/fields for our SDI works.